Immigration Issues

The "STRIVE" ("Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy") immigration bill currently making its way through Congress has managed to outrage large swaths of Americans throughout the political spectrum. Conservatives have labeled the bill as granting amnesty to lawbreakers, while many liberals see the bill's enforcement provisions as too harsh. President Bush has voiced his approval of the bill, drawing fierce criticism from many conservatives who accuse him of betraying conservative principles and the interests of the American people.

The bill includes strengthened border protection, enforcement and employment verification provisions, and establishes a number of new visa reforms and worker programs. The most controversial section of the bill -- Title VI -- deals with the legalization of currently-illegal immigrants inside the country by creating new paths to legal citizenship and permanent residency. These new routes to legalization, which include relatively large fines, stringent background checks and testing, also place illegal immigrants at the "back of the line" for attaining permanent visas, behind those applying from their home countries.

Despite the penalties and requirements associated with legalization, the eventual effect of the new programs would most likely be the acceptance of a large number of illegal immigrants as legal residents or citizens. For this reason, and since the bill lacks any provisions calling for large-scale crackdowns or mass deportations, critics have claimed that the bill encourages illegal immigration instead of stemming it.

The real question behind the current furor over immigration reform is whether large-scale immigration -- primarily from Mexico and other Latin American countries -- is beneficial or detrimental to Americans and the economy. Conservatives have overwhelmingly taken the stance that the substantial influx of unskilled, uneducated labor only serves to socially destabilize and economically undermine American citizens.

The notable exception to this has been the support by conservative-leaning big industry interests for lax immigration controls and legalization. For the most part, it appears that American businesses believe that Latin American immigration -- whether legal or illegal -- is good for the economy. Democrats have also called for legalization on the grounds that businesses are able to unfairly exploit and abuse undocumented workers. Furthermore, Democrats have pointed out that legalization would increase the number of taxpayers and offset the costs of medical and social programs used by undocumented immigrants.

With an aging Baby Boomer generation causing crises in American entitlement programs (like Social Security and Medicare) and a shrinking labor supply, some are saying that high levels of immigration could save the American economy from disaster. On the other hand, others are warning that the potential for higher wages that would come with a smaller labor supply could be canceled out by large-scale immigration.

Barring a sudden change in momentum, it appears that Washington Democrats and Republicans have arrived at something of a consensus on this touchy issue. While there are strong indications that this consensus runs counter to popular anti-immigration sentiment, in the long run it may turn out to have benefits not recognized by the majority of Americans. Then again, it could turn out to be as disastrous as its critics claim. If this episode has revealed nothing else, it has once again shown that the decisions made in Washington need not reflect the desires of the American people.